Muslim models display burkinis at a shop in Sydney, Australia. Part swimsuit, part all-covering burqa, the garment has sparked controversy in France, where it has been banned by some cities.

Several French cities, including Cannes and Nice, have recently banned the burkini, a full-body swimsuit worn by some Muslim women.

Officials have cited a need for cultural assimilation among Muslims in France, and said the garment furthers tensions between Muslims and non-Muslims in a country that has been hit by a series of terrorist attacks by Islamist extremists.

Sundas Ali, a lecturer in politics and sociology at the University of Oxford, told CNN that the bans are concerning because the burkini makes Muslim women feel more comfortable while swimming because it gives them the option to show less skin.

The garment, which varies in style, generally covers the whole body from head to toe, except for the face and hands.

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Cohen Peart selects and edits The Denver Post’s letters to the editor and columns. He also compiles editorial cartoons for The Post’s online cartoon section, produces print and online opinion pages, and handles social media for the opinion section.